Getty New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh reacting in the middle of an NFL game.
The New York Jets are swinging for the fences in their search for a star quarterback. However, there is a genuine possibility they don’t make contact this offseason.
If that transpires the green and white will have another option to turn to on the open market.
Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic name-dropped Cleveland Browns quarterback Jacoby Brissett as someone that could make sense even if he “might not sell tickets.”
“He’s still only 30 and remains a solid quarterback who can run an offense, which he did for 11 games before Deshaun Watson debuted, but he’s also not going to elevate it. [Brissett] doesn’t turn the ball over much; he has the fewest interceptions of any QB with at least 500 pass attempts over the last three years.”
Jacoby Brissett Could Be Exactly What the Doctor Ordered
Rosenblatt categorized Brissett as a “solid professional quarterback who can get the job done.” However, his athletic shortcomings won’t necessarily “raise the ceiling of the offense.”
The former NC State product is set to become an unrestricted free agent and is hoping to land a gig this offseason that allows him to compete for a starting gig.
Spotrac’s market value projections expect the veteran to land a one-year deal for $5.4 million in 2023.
That annual salary would make him the No. 30 highest-paid quarterback in football, per Over The Cap.
In seven professional seasons, Brissett has a 48 touchdown to 23 interception ratio, has thrown for 10,350 passing yards, and has completed 61.1 percent of his passes.
Jets Need a High Floor at the QB Position
Is Brissett a sexy option? Will he win a beauty pageant? Garner Pro Bowl votes? Be heralded as one of the best quarterbacks in all of football?
The answer to all of those questions is exactly the same, a resounding no.
However, that level of quarterback play likely would have gotten the Jets into the playoffs in 2022. If you have a seat at the dance anything can happen.
Fans have been fascinated by the tantalizing possible options this offseason with rumors about Aaron Rodgers, Lamar Jackson, and even Derek Carr.
Those would all be great but what the Jets need to do is hope for the best and expect the worst. There is nothing wrong with having dreams or lofty expectations, but Joe Douglas and company have to be prepared if things go sideways.
Brissett is the right quarterback that can move the ball and get things done. He doesn’t turn the ball over, he has no ego, and can bring a steadying presence to the Jets’ offense. That is a winning combination especially in New York.
It likely won’t excite fans, but the Jets need to do what is best for business. Brissett’s minimal price tag would allow the team to build around him with free agency dollars and draft assets.
If Gang Green can mimic the level of success they had on defense in 2022, get back a healthy Breece Hall next season, perhaps Brissett could get this team back to the postseason and maybe beyond.